School bus, Olympic rowers collide near Shawnigan Lake

A school bus carrying 12 young students to school Friday morning in the Shawinigan Lake area struck a truck hauling a trailer of rowing sculls in icy road conditions.

The bus driver and driver of the truck, which was carrying members of the Canadian men’s Olympic rowing team, were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and there were no other injuries in the incident.

Const. Ian Wetzel-Eden, from the Shawinigan Lake RCMP detachment, said the bus was travelling east on Renfrew Road, near Decca Road, hit black and ice, lost control and went into oncoming westbound traffic.

Wetzel-Eden said the bus hit the truck and trailer where they were connected, and at least one rowing scull went through the front window of the bus and struck the driver.

He said emergency personnel were quickly on scene and the two injured men were taken to hospital by ambulance.

“The 12 students on the bus, who were from École Cobble Hill and George Bonner Elementary School, were put on another bus and taken to school,” Wetzel-Eden said.

“We will have victims services check on them during the day at their schools to make sure the kids are OK. It was truly a Christmas miracle that no one was more seriously injured in the accident.”

Wetzel-Eden said the men’s rowing team continued on their way to Shawnigan Lake for their practice session.

Rowing scull goes through window of school bus in Shawnigan. (Citizen file)